Concentrator.



C. F. PAIGE.

.CONCENTRATOR.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 5, l9l4. 1,140,764. Patented May25, 1915.

Z SHEETS-SHEET I.

I i Q \VITNESSES: INVENTOR MGF? nv W 2/4/12. 1

-"F "nub/S PETERS 50-. PHOTD-LITHQ, WASHI C C. F. PAIGE.

CONCENTRATOR.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 5, 1914.

Patented May 25, 1915.

WVITNESSES:

THE NORRIS PETERS 60.. PHOTO-LITHO.. WASHINGIDN, D c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFTfiE.

CHARLES F. PAIGE, OF OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-THIRD 10 ADOLPH W. JONES, 0F OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA.

CONGENTRATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed May 5, 1914. Serial No. 836,444.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, CHARLES F. PAIGE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Oakland, in the county of Alameda and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Concentrators, of which, the following is a specification.

This invention relates to concentrators and particularly to ore concentrators of the type involving a shaking table, although it will be seen that the invention is applicable to stationary tables and sluices.

It is one of the objects of the present invention to provide a concentrating apparatus, whereby the pulp may be subjected to an action for stratifying the constituents of the pulp and for separating the concentrates from the gangue.

It is a particular object of the present invention to provide, in combination with a stratifying apparatus, means for facilitating the separation of slimes and gangue from the concentrates or valuable constituents of the pulp by the action of an aerated current.

A further object is to provide, in a concentrating apparatus, a means providing a substantially closed chamber through which oppositely moving currents of liquid may be maintained; one current moving with and carrying the concentrates, while an oppositely flowing current in the chamber effects a separation of the gangue and slimes from the chamber and removes them at the opposite end of the chamber from the discharge of the concentrates.

A further object is to provide a means providing a substantially closedchamber, in which are formed counter-currents of liquid, and to project into the chamber a jet of liquid, under pressure, which causes the creation of the counter-current and also in-- duces a flow of air, which operates, in conjunction with the counter-current, for the separation of the gangue from the pulp, and aids in the removal thereof and of flocculent material from the closed chamber.

The invention consists of the parts and the construction and combination of parts as hereinafter more fully described and claimed, having reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a plan view of the improved concentrating table. Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof, showing the table operating mechanism. Fig. 3 is a view of the table from the feed end. Fig. 4 is a plan view in 7 detail of the counter-current and separating chamber. Fig. 5 is a central longitudinal section thereof. Fig. 6 is an end view of Fig. 4.

2 is a concentrating table, or other suitable concentrating surface, inclined to a suitable degree, which may be of suitable proportions and construction and which may or may not be given a shaking movement. If designed to shake or vibrate, appropriate mechanism is employed, indicated generally. at 3; the table being mounted upon suitable supports 4. The upper surface of the table is shown as provided With a number of longitudinally spaced, shallow boxes or chambers, indicated generally at 5, which form the particular subject-matter of this invention; these boxes or chambers forming traps. or pockets for the segregation, classification and collection of values, as later. described.

Referring to Figs. 4, 5 and 6, each of the boxes or chambers is shown as comprising a bottom 6 and a top or cover 7, preferably of transparent material, the vertical walls 8 of the chamber being of such a height as to form a comparatively shallow structure and converge from the forward or feed end of the table 2 rearwardly where they terminate in a discharge pocket. From the pocket end is extended a discharge tube 9, shown as vertically adjustable in a threaded bearing or flange 10 of the bottom of the chamber 5. The function of the vvertically adjustable tube 9 is to control the depth to which the stratificatiOn of concentrates may be maintained in the separating chamber 5.

Upon the forward end of the chamber 5 there is provided an adjustable cap or headsheet 11 with slots 12 through which fastening screws 13 extend into the vertical Walls 8. The rear edge of the head-plate 11 is movable toward and from the adjacent transverse front edge of the transparent chamber cover 7 which is shown as upwardly beveled at 14. The space between the rear edge of the head-plate 11 and the head end of the top 7 forms a discharge aperture from the chamber or box 5 for the liquid of the pulp which feeds into the chamber 5 in the direction of arrow (1, Fig. 5.

For-aiding the stratification of the mineral in the pulp, in conjunction with the stratifying eifect or the shaking table 2, a

multiplicity of staggered vertical pins 15 areinounted in the bottom 6 of the chamber 5, the pins being of variousdiaineters and various heights. The longer and largest pins are disposed at the feed end of the chamber and the remaining vpins areof less height and diniinish in size toward the discharge end. v

Transversely mounted adjacent to the rear end of a concentrating'chamber 5 is a tube or pipe 16, Which is here shown as provided with a tangential and horizontally directed nozzle or spray mouth 17 I/Vater under pressure is supplied through the transverse pipe 16 through a suitable supply pipe 18; one end df the nozzle pipe 16 being extended from the chamber -5 atone side and provided with an operating handle 19, whereby the pipe 16 may be turnably -ad-' j'usted in its bearings to cause the nozzle 17 to discharge its jet at a suitable angle up stream "in, the chamber 5'as may be desired.

The nozzle '17 will then discharge a jet of water under pressure from the pipe 16 into the -chamber 5, below its transparent cover 7, the rjetcausing a counter-current moving in the direction of arrow 6, Fig, 5, which aids in the separation of the slimes and gang-ue from the mineral concentrate which has been Stratified upon the bottom 6 of a concentrating chamber resulting from the shaking movement of the table 2;

For further aiding the separation of the values from the valueless contents of the pulp -I have provided means for the introduction of air at the discharge end 'of the concentrating box or chamber. This means comprises, in the present instance, air pas sageways 20, a suitable number-of which may be provided at a desirable location and hereshow-n-as being in the upperend of the discharge pipe 9. Thus while the downwardly "moving stream of concentrates on the bottom 6 of the concentrating chamber approaches the discharge end of the pocket the concentrates "discharge through the tube 9. VVhena jet-of water is being discharged from the nozzle 17 a suction effect is producedin'the discharge spout 9, and while the heavy concentrates discharge therethrough an up streamof air will be induced through the air passageways '20. The air passes into the pocket-Sever the eoncentratesand moves toward the sprayrnozzle '17 where the incoming air is intimately mixed with the .jet at the nozzle y and the upper counter-current is charged with air bubbles which act-to acc'el. erate the upper counter-current, agitate the liquidand gangue in thechamber, and thus quicken the discharge'ofgangue through the discharge aperture at the head of the plate 11. V

As 'many of the individual separating boxes 5 may be provided as is desired longitud'i'nal'ly upon the table "2; the discharge stream from the pulp orifice of one box passing ever the to thereof down the table 2 tothe neiz t boX. By adjusting the head-plate 11 of each of the boxes the quantity of pulp treated in each boX may be carefully determined and each boX treat only a portion of the whole quantity of pulp fed to the table;- some of the pulp passing into the first separating boX and some passing over it down to the neXt boX, andso'on the full length-of the table, until the pulp has been treated "to a concentratingiand separating action which its characteristics determine. 7

For "the purpose of directing the heavy contents'of't'he pulp quickly to the intake or feed end or theconcentrating box -5, there may be provided, upon the table '2 and at opposite sides, suitable Wave-forming deflectors, indicated'at 21, the convergent'and opposite edges of which are downwardly beveled, as at 22. These inclined walls react upon the pulp to form waves or ripples which cause the strat-ified portion of the pulp 'todrift toward the center of the table and down fin-to the entrances of the separating boxes 5.

Having thus described my inventiomwhat I claim and desire to secureby Letters Patent is V 1. *In a concentrating apparatus-the combination with a suitable concentratingsur face over which the -material to be separated is adapted to'fiow, of means including an open-mouth pocket in the path of the materials passing over the -concen'trating surface having aicover, a discharge for the values '-collecting in the pocket, and means for creating a counter-current of air and water through the pocket in the directionof the mouth'of the pocket to carry the flocculent material out of the pocket onto the concentrating surface'again.

2. In a concentrating apparatus, theco-mbination with a movablesupport, of a substantially closed chamber or box having an opening at one end for in'feeding pulp and a discharge aperture forconcentrates at the opposite end and an orifice at'the top of the chamber forthe discharge ofthat portion of the pulp from which the concentrates have been separated, and means for introducing a stream of water in and between the top and bottom of the 'bOX in countendirection to the pulp, whereby the values are separated fromtheipulpand the gangue washed back through said orifice while the values move downward along the bottom of the boxto saidaperture. 3. In a concentrating apparatus, a shallow, slightly inclined, substantially closed chamber with a pulp inlet aperture, a discharge aperture for the concentratesat the bottom, a variable discharge orifice for the gangue at the top, and means for producing stantially closed,

counter-currents of air and water in the pulp in the chamber, including an angularly adjustable jet nozzle and an air inlet fitting.

4.. In a concentrating apparatus, a substantially closed chamber with a pulp inlet aperture, a discharge aperture for the concentrates at the bottom, a discharge orifice for the gangue at the top, and means for producing counter-currents in the pulp in the chamber and for inducing air into the chamber and mixing it with the countercurrents.

5. In a concentrating apparatus, a substantially closed, shallow chamber having a feed inlet, a discharge outlet for concentrates at the opposite end of the chamber from the inlet, a discharge orifice at the top for the discharge of gangue, and means for producing an aerated counter-current in the chamber.

6. In a concentrating apparatus, a substantially closed, shallow chamber with baf- 'fie members projecting upwardly from its bottom and having a feed inlet, a discharge outlet for concentrates at the opposite end of the chamber from the inlet, a discharge orifice at the top for the discharge of gangue, and means for producing an aerated counter-current in the chamber.

7 In a concentrator and separator, asubstantially closed, comparatively shallow chamber, with a top, having an inlet opening at one end and a discharge spout at the bottom and opposite end for concentrates and a variable discharge orifice in the top and adjacent to the inlet end for gangue, and means for producing a counter-current in the chamber moving in opposition to the direction of travel of the concentrates.

8. In a concentrator and separator, a su comparatively shallow having an inlet opening at one end and a discharge spout at the bottom and opposite end for concentrates and a variable discharge orifice in the top and adjacent to the inlet end for gangue, and means for producing a counter-current in the chamber moving in opposition to the direction of travel of the concentrates, said discharge spout being adjustable in the bottom of the chamber.

9. In a concentrator and separator, a substantially closed, comparatively shallow chamber, having an inlet opening at one end and a discharge spout at the bottom and opposite end for concentrates and a discharge orifice in the top and adjacent to the inlet end for gangue, means for producing a counter-current in the chamber moving in chamber, with a top,

opposition to the direction of travel of the concentrates, said discharge spout being adjustable in the bottom of the chamber, and means for admitting air into the lower end of the chamber for mixture with the counter-moving current.

10. In a concentrating apparatus the combination of a concentrating surface over which the material to be separated is adapted to flow, and provided with a discharge for the collected solids, and air inlet means, a nozzle arranged close to but spaced from the concentrating surface and adapted to direct a current of water over and upon the surface of the flowing liquid, to create a flow of bubbles toward the feed end to carry the flocculent material away from said solids discharge.

11. In a concentrating apparatus the combination of a concentrating surface over which the material to be separated is adapted to flow, and provided with a discharge for the collected solids, and air inlet means, a nozzle arranged close to but spaced from the concentrating surface and adapted to direct a current of water over and upon the surface of the flowing liquid, to create a flow of bubbles toward the feed end to carry the flocculent material away from said solids discharge, a housing forming a pocket for the nozzle and said solids discharge and open toward the feed end of the apparatus, and a series of pins in the pocket and projecting upward from the concentrating surface.

12. In a concentrating apparatus, the combination of a horizontally disposed chamber having a flat bottom and slightly inclined from the feed end to the discharge end and through which liquid may flow, the chamber having flared sides wider at the feed end, a fiat transparent cover for the chamber beneath which the flow takes place, and a nozzle beneath the cover and adjacent to the discharge end of the chamber for directing a counter surface current in the chamber in the direction of the feed end, and said cover having a transverse slot between said feed end and discharge and through which the said counter flow may discharge, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES F. PAIGE.

Witnesses:

JOHN H. HERRING, W. W. HEALEY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained folfive cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0. 

